The Smiley Smile Message Board

I know this has been covered before, but can we come up with a list of songs where Brian played an instrument other than bass or a keyboard based instrument? It would handy to have this in one thread. I eventually want to create a reference section

If I'm not mistaken, he was also able to play drums but on what songs I'm not sure.

I think he played drums on "Honkin' Down The Highway". I've read that he also supposedly played drums on "Funky Pretty".

"Airplane"? Paging c-man.

Let’s see what I can remember, mostly from reading C-man’s posts:

Guitar:
The Survivors – After the Game
Break Away (according to Desper?)
Possibly one version of H&V or something (strumming)

Drums:
Surfin’ (snare drum)
Funky Pretty
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin (?)
all of Love You except Mona, I Wanna Pick You Up, Honkin’ Down the Highway, and The Night Was So Young (Dennis), Good Time (Dennis Dragon), and Ding Dang (Ricky Fataar?)

Marimba:
All Summer Long

Drums on Till I Die

Oh and plays everything on Where Can She Be and You’ve Lost that Loving Feelin

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Whoa! He's actually a-okay harpist, especially Santa Ana Winds features some pretty soulful blowin'.

That was him? I thought it was proven to be false.

Drums on "Honkin' Down The Highway" are actually Dennis.
Harmonica on "Santa Ana Winds" is actually Tommy Morgan.
No evidence that Brian played guitar on "Breakaway", but evidence that Carl did (along with session players).
Likewise, drums on "Sail Plane Song" appear to actually have been Carl, overdubbed after Al (!) played off-mic drums during the tracking session.

Accordion on "Mona" is an interesting possibility - the track sheet includes a notation for that instrument, but no AFM sheet exists to indicate it was an outside player. And remember, Brian took accordion lessons as a kid, so maybe!  Can you quote a source for that, wjcrerar ?

^

I remember C-man said it was Tommy Morgan uncredited. I can post the link if anyone wants.

EDIT: Never mind; he beat me to it  :)

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Come to think of it, it might even have been me who suggested Brian as the accordion player on "Mona"!  And yes, considering the simplicity of the part (after all, it's far from the triple-bellows shake performed in unison by Frank Marocco and Carl Fortina on the bridge of "WIBN"), it could very well be him!

I'm almost positive that  the liner notes for the 15 Big Ones/Love You "twofer" credit Brian with the drums on "Honkin' Down The Highway".

Edit: The liner notes are by Peter Buck of R.E.M., and he said it "sounds like" Brian played all the instruments, including drums. So I guess that's not quite a credible source.  ;D

Who wrote those notes!?

There were a few different "celebrities" who wrote liner notes for a few of the twofer's, rather than the usual suspects(c-man, Ian, Doe, Alan Boyd, etc). I believe Tom Petty wrote the liner notes for one. Odd decision indeed.

 Fact: Dennis played drums on "Honkin' Down the Highway".

Fact: Brian DID make the trip to Holland to record the album of the same name, despite Tom Petty writing otherwise in his celebrity liner notes for the album of the same name.

R.I.P. Tom, the world still misses ya!

IIRC it was Tom Petty for "Holland", Elton John for "So tough", Peter Buck for "Love you". I don't remember the celebrity-authors for the other ones, if those were written by celebs. I know AGD wrote the ones for either KTSA or BB85.

Tim White did Sunflower / SU. Paul Williams did In Concert. AGD did the KTSA / BB85 twofer.

I'd like to read Elton John's liners. Indifferent towards Buck/ REM/ Petty.

I always thought that was weird since the story of how they got Brian to Holland after a failed attempt or two is so well known

Here you go, RR (the track descriptions are by one Scott McCaughey):

This is an album which I have loved for a long time. It is perhaps the “loosest” of all The Beach Boys albums in that it has more of a band feel than the others. It contains one of my favorite all time Beach Boys tracks Marcella and another, He Come Down. The traditional harmonies are still there but they’re “drier” and more ambient. Carl Wilson’s hand is much in evidence here as in his voice and the addition of Ricky Fataar, who is a superb drummer, enhances the live feeling that pervades the songs. I am a huge fan of The Beach Boys. They have been and still are a major influence on my writing. This album is a step away from Pet Sounds, but still has moments of breathtaking genius and experimentation. When this record was released, I remember how different and fresh it sounded. It still does.

– Elton John, 2000

[Source (http://albumlinernotes.com/CATP___Holland.html)]

Anyone able to post AGD's
 on Ktsa and 85 ?

This site is useful: http://albumlinernotes.com/site/d51d3fe8cbd94fe7a67c66ee4c3ca145/default?url=http%3A%2F%2Falbumlinernotes.com%2FKTSA___Beach_Boys_85.html#2849

Scott McCaughey is a terrific musician in his own right, leader of the Young Fresh Fellows and The Minus Five. He also was an extra musician for REM both on record and tour during their last years. He's been working with Peter Buck in a myriad of projects since the 90s.

Check this song with a clear Love You influence
https://theminus5.bandcamp.com/track/thats-not-the-way-that-its-done

(from Down with Wilco - a Minus 5 album recorded with Wilco - he also plays on Jeff Tweedy's solo projects)


BTW, liner notes for 15 BIG Ones are by Dennis Diken of The Smithereens

Page not found error?

Really? Works for me. Try googling Beach Boys Keepin the summer alive album liner notes.